Posts by Gargamel

Well he better make that decision pretty quickly. The election for the new leader has been called, and the deadline for contestants to declare is tomorrow (Thursday 30/6). So far, he hasn't entered the race - and won't, I'm sure.

31

Brexit...

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

the london stock exchange up, every share index up, the pound up against the dollar.

where is the fire and brimstone?.

the rebel..

Gargamel

As others have said, markets normally overeact at first, then find some balance at a new level. There will be more downward shocks yet though, and the worst of these ought be in the UK as the old alliances unravel. The pending tax rises will put pressure on inflation as workers clamour for pay rises to compensate the higher rates. Spending cuts will hurt the most vulnerable, because Tory bastards are good at that. Although they are edging downwards at the moment, at some point interest rates will start climbing in order to shore up the £ and attract investment - the rate rises may also be needed to curb any inflationary trend caused by the QE (money printing) and workers forcing pay rises. It does look pretty bleak for the next few years. Remember, the UK economy is more vulnerable because of the higher level of mortgage payers (renting is less popular here than in many countries), so even a small shift upwards has people examining where they can cut their spending. Furthermore, many small businesses are part-funded by people borrowing on property equity. If property values start decreasing, as looks a fair bet, there will be less finance available for business start-ups and expansions. Then, the banks have taken a big hit recently. They will probably want to recoup that by imposing harsher lending criteria and in many cases, not lend at all.

The outlook appears bleaker than they're letting on. After a decade, the nation will generally be a bit poorer materially. Hopefully, some old values will re-surface rather than all the me me me legacy from the Thatcher years.

20

Dodgy poetry

by Gargamel in

it is a stretch to call my dodgy poetry 'entertainment' but i wasn't sure where else to put it.. .

self-fulfilling prophecy.

precipitation.

Gargamel

The man in the dock

was picking his nose like fury,

rolled it into little balls

and flicked it at the jury.

5

Will the Brexit Trigger ever be pulled?

by Slidin Fast in

since david cameron has bowed out, his successor is not going to pull the article 50 trigger any time soon.

we don’t even have a successor yet.. bojo looked sheepish and chastened at having won the leave vote, i don’t think he really believed he would win.

he was at best flying a flag of convenience in heading up the brexit camp, was his heart really in it?.

Gargamel

"Eh?...just about everyone says the public made their choice and it will be respected including David Cameron.

Article 50 will be triggered, it is democracy.

We just don't know who and when."

But there's the rub. Triggering it could make the current meltdown look like a pop-gun. I'm not so sure who would want that legacy.

Britain and the EU are currently playing a game of brinkmanship. Although the uncertainties are bad for the UK, they are bad for Europe too - and other countries. It's not good for it to rumble on, but it's difficult to see an alternative.

5

Will the Brexit Trigger ever be pulled?

by Slidin Fast in

since david cameron has bowed out, his successor is not going to pull the article 50 trigger any time soon.

we don’t even have a successor yet.. bojo looked sheepish and chastened at having won the leave vote, i don’t think he really believed he would win.

he was at best flying a flag of convenience in heading up the brexit camp, was his heart really in it?.

Gargamel

In spite of the public posturing, I reckon that people are doing a lot of talking behind the scenes about how to wriggle out of Brexit.

There will be scapegoats - those who are not able to save their arses and their faces at the same time - the ones regarded as more expendable.

My greatest concern is that as the politicians fudge, a new champion of the extreme right will emerge (Farage?). He would probably trigger Article 50 but the new isolation wouldn't be the Promised Land, it would more likely be a slow descent into pre-war Germany.

41

One Thing I Don't Get About Brexit

by JW_Rogue in

how did such a weighty decision get put directly in the hands on the average citizen?

and with only a simple majority required?

in the usa the biggest thing that people vote on directly is city building projects or infrastructure.

Gargamel

:) I know. Before polling day, everyone must have an IQ test. Whatever a person's score would be the number of points his/her vote would be worth. Not only would this ensure intelligent government, it would also be a good incentive to subsidise education for people who are more likely to vote for the government.

It would save a lot of salamanders too.

41

One Thing I Don't Get About Brexit

by JW_Rogue in

how did such a weighty decision get put directly in the hands on the average citizen?

and with only a simple majority required?

in the usa the biggest thing that people vote on directly is city building projects or infrastructure.

Gargamel

Many people's "research" consists of skimming through a highly-opinionated tabloid newspaper whose owner has a history of jumping into bed with right-wing governments.

41

One Thing I Don't Get About Brexit

by JW_Rogue in

how did such a weighty decision get put directly in the hands on the average citizen?

and with only a simple majority required?

in the usa the biggest thing that people vote on directly is city building projects or infrastructure.

Gargamel

Although huge swathes of the British electorate don't take the trouble to inform themselves, it's also true that polarised media coverage hampers such attempts anyway. But what is the alternative? We once had a society where only male land-owners above 35? could vote. Before that it was even worse. Gradually, more and more people were allowed a vote; there would have been revolution if, having made massive sacrifices in wars, the ordinary person had no say in who ran the country.

To make a basic IQ test to determine who can vote would be a slippery slope back to the dark ages.

Leaving the EU could cause me even bigger financial problems than those I have already, but that is what the people want and I must find a way around that. I also believe it is a massive blunder ideologically speaking, but my visions are different from the majority.

20

Dodgy poetry

by Gargamel in

it is a stretch to call my dodgy poetry 'entertainment' but i wasn't sure where else to put it.. .

self-fulfilling prophecy.

precipitation.

Gargamel

Spare ... Child

'Spare the rod, spoil the child,'
smiled the suited man
behind his Bible,
leering,
peering
through bottle-bottom glasses.
Congregation nodded, staring,
preparing for the after-meeting beating.